The 35-year-old captain of the Churchbridge Imperials is in stable condition following a scary on-ice incident in a senior hockey game Saturday night in Esterhazy.

The South East Hockey League website says following a face-off, Cole Cusitar got tangled up with another player that had fallen over. That player’s skate blade came up and hit Cusitar under the jaw cutting him from the chin to the ear. It took 80 stitches to close the massive cut that missed his jugular vein by only half-an-inch.

As of last night (Sunday), Cusitar was in Yorkton hospital recovering and is on pain medication.

The Churchbridge Imperials says its players will wear neck guards in future games and the South East Hockey League is encouraging all players and on-ice official to do the same.